When it comes to sexuality and intimacy in an aged care
setting, how can staff balance residents’ rights with a
duty of care? DR CATHERINE COOK and Associate Professor MARK
HENRICKSON address a complex and sensitive topic.

The Hawke’s Bay water crisis unleashed a severe gastro bug
that took its toll on the care homes and retirement villages
of Havelock North. JUDE BARBACK talks to three facilities
about how they coped and lessons learned from the
experience.

In recognition of International Nurses Day on 12 May 2016,
LEANNE MACDONALD, care services manager at Metlifecare’s
Pinesong retirement village, shares her thoughts on the
challenges and the future of elder care nursing.

As a clinical nurse specialist in wound care for the
Southern District Health Board, MANDY PAGAN provides a
consultation role in residential aged care (RAC) facilities
in Southland. To complete her clinical masters, she
conducted a systematic review investigating wound programmes
in RAC facilities. Here is an overview and summary of this
review.

On 1 July, after a somewhat hurried and harried
introduction, interRAI became the mandatory clinical
assessment tool for nurses to use in residential aged care
facilities nationwide. FIONA CASSIE caught up with some
nursing leaders as facilities headed down the home straight
in a race to meet the deadline to train nurses in an already
time and resource-stretched sector.

Registered dietitian LIZ BEAGLEHOLE of Canterbury Dietitians
says facilities need to plan ahead to ensure they get the
texture of the food right for each resident, while also
meeting their nutritional needs.

Research shows a strong correlation between poor oral health
and general health, yet the Government refuses to see this
as a funding priority for older people in residential care.
JUDE BARBACK looks at where responsibility lies and what
aged care facilities should be doing to maintain their
residents’ oral health.

Christchurch-based registered nurse CLAIRE ROSKRUGE is a
participant in the Christchurch DHB’s Gerontology
Acceleration Programme and is involved in a restorative care
pilot for older people within the acute service. INsite asks
Claire about her journey into nursing and what she loves
about her job.

In this issue we cast the spotlight on arthritis, a common
condition affecting hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders.
DARRYL WARD discusses the common types of arthritis, how to
cope with it, and where to turn for support.

With Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) reporting
reductions in claims as a result of falls since its Vitamin
D in residential care programme was rolled out, it is now
looking to expand the programme to older people in the wider
community.